Manifold arrangement and parts therefor or the like

ABSTRACT

A manifold arrangement for a fuel burning apparatus, the manifold arrangment interconnecting a source of fuel to the burner means thereof. A manifold fitting is disposed between the fuel source and the burner means and has passage means therethrough through which the entire fuel flow must pass to reach the burner means. The manifold fitting has a transverse opening therein leading from the exterior thereof to the passage means. A self-contained pressure regulator is received in the opening, the regulator having a housing that closes the opening and intersects the passage means of the manifold fitting in such a manner that the entire fuel flow through the fitting passes through the regulator housing and is thus under the control of the pressure regulator. When the regulator is removed or is not to be included in the arrangement, a plug is utilized to close the opening of the fitting.

limited States Patent [1 1 [111 3,825,225 Demi 5] July 23, 1974 MANIFOLD ARRANGEMENT AND PARTS Primary ExaminerHarold W. Weakley THEREFOR OR THE LIKE Attorney, Agent, or F irmCandor, Candor & Tassone 75 Inventor: R0 C. Demi Greensbur Pa. 1 y g 57 ABSTRACT [73] Asslgnee: gi g g Company A manifold arrangement for a fuel burning apparatus, mon the manifold arrangment interconnecting a source of [22] Filed: May 16, 1973 fuel to the burner means thereof. A manifold fitting is disposed between the fuel source and the burner [211 App! 6 means and has passage means therethrough through Related US. Application Data which the entire fuel flow must pass to reach the [60] Division of Ser. No. 219,445, Jan .20, 1972, Pat. No. burner means- The manifOld fitting has a transverse 3,744,754, which is a continuation f opening therein leading from the exterior thereof to 24,037, April 2, 1970, abandoned. T the passage means. A self-contained pressure regulator is received in the opening, the regulator having a [52] US. Cl ..,251/363, 137/454.5, 137/50518, housing that closes the opening and intersects the pas- 251/367 sage means of the manifold fitting in such a manner [51] Int. Cl .[F16k43/00 that the entire fuel flow through the fitting passes [58] Field of Search 251/363; 137/454.5, 454.6 through the regulator housing and is thus under the control of the pressure regulator. When the regulator [56] References Cited is removed or is not to be included in the arrange- UNITED STATES PATENTS ment, a plug is utilized to close the opening of the fit- 3,744,754 7/1973 Demi 25l/363 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIED 3.825225 7 sum 2 or 2 FIG.4

MANIFOLD ARRANGEMENT AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE This application is a divisional patent application of its copending US. parent Pat. application, Ser. No. 219,445, filed Jan. 20, 1972, now US. Pat. 7 No. 3,744,754, which, in turn, is a Continuation application of its parent US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 25,037, filed Apr. 2, 1970, now abandoned in favor of its said Continuation application. 7

This invention relates to a manifold arrangement for a fuel burning apparatus or. the like and to the various parts of such a manifold arrangement or the like.

It has been found according to the teachings of this invention that it is desirableto provide a manifold arrangement wherein a self-contained pressure regulator construction can be utilized with the manifold means to provide for complete pressure regulation of the flow of fuel through the manifold means. Alternately, such manifold arrangement would readily permit the removal of such pressure regulator means so that the manifold arrangement can be utilized without pressure regulation if desired.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide'sucha manifold arrangement.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a manifold fitting which will permit the manifold arrangement to readily accept a self-contained pressure regularegulator at some time in the future and also makes it readily easy to replace a defective pressure regulator.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a manifold arrangement for a fuel burning apparatus or the like that comprises a manifold means for interconnecting a source of fuel to a burner means of the apparatus. The manifold means includes a manifold fitting disposed in the manifold means between the fuel source and the burner means. The fitting has a passage means therethrough through which the entire fuel flow must pass to reach the burner means. The fitting has a transverse opening therein leading from the exterior thereof to the passage means. A self-contained pressure regulator is received in the opening, the regulator having a housing that is'provided with a threaded portion threaded in the threaded opening of the manifold fitting whereby the housing intersects the passage means of the fitting so that the entire fuel flow through the fitting must pass through the regulator housing and is thus underthe control of the pressure regulator. The regulator housing can be readily removed from such opening means and a threaded plug" can be utilized in place thereof to close the opening in the manifold fitting if desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved manifold arrangement having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved self-contained pressure regulator for such a manifold arrangement or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved housing for such a pressure regulator or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved manifold fitting for receiving such a selfcontained pressure regulator or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectiona1 view schematically illustrating the manifold arrangement of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates the manifold fitting of the manifold arrangement of FIG. 1 having the self-contained pressure regulator attached thereto.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the housing for the pressure regulator of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide a manifold arrangement having a pressure regulator, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide other types of manifold arrangements as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the improved manifold arrangement of this'invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a manifold means 11 for interconnecting a fuel source 12 to a burner means 13 of a cooking apparatus'or the like, the manifold means 11 having a manifold fitting 14 of this invention disposed therein for coupling a conduit means 15 leading from the fuel source 12 to a conduit means 16 leading to the burner means 13.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the manifold fitting 14 of this invention comprises a body portion 17 having a substantially rectangular transverse cross-sectional configuration whereby such body portion 17 is provided with flat sides, such as the opposed flat sides 18 and 19 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and opposed ends 20 and 21 respectively integrally interconnected to outwardly projecting cylindrical coupling portions 22 and 23 suitably externally threaded for coupling respec tively to the conduits 15 and 16 through a threaded relation therewith or with threaded coupling members in a manner well known in the art.

The manifold fitting 14 is provided with a passage means 24 passing therethrough whereby the entire fuel flow from the fuel source 12 to the burner means 13 must pass through the passage means 24 of the manifold fitting 14. The passage means 24 in the manifold fitting 14 is so constructed and arranged that the same leads from the inlet coupling part 22 through an opening 25 in an internal wall 26' to a substantially cylindrical transverse opening 26 interrupting the flat surface 19 thereof. The transverse opening 26 intersects the passage means 24 in such a manner that the same defines a flat annular shoulder 27 of the manifold fitting 14 that faces toward the opening 26 that interrupts the side 19 of the fitting 14 whereby the passage means 24 interconnects the opening 26through a circular opening 28 in the annular shoulder 27 to a lower portion 29 of the passage means 24. The lower portion 29 of the passage means 24 is interconnected through an opening 30 in another interior wall 31 of the fitting 14 to the outlet coupling part 23 of the fitting 14.

The walls 26 and 31 are suitably shaped as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to facilitate fuel flow through the openings and thereof in a smooth and substantially non-turbulent manner whereby the entire fuel flow through the fitting 14 must pass through the circular opening 28 in the annular shoulder 27 of the fitting 14.

The upper portion 32 of the transverse opening 26 of the manifold fitting 14 is internally threaded for threadedly receiving either an externally threaded portion 33 of a plug 34 or an externally threaded portion 35 of a housing means 36 of a self-contained pressure regulator 37 as illustrated respectively in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In particular, the sealing plug 34 illustrated in FIG. 1 has an enlarged portion 38 provided with an outwardly directed flat annular shoulder 39 adjacent the threaded portion 33 thereof so that when the threaded portion 33 of the plug 34 is threaded into the opening 26 of the fitting 14 as illustrated in FIG. 1, the flat annular shoulder 39 of the enlarged part 38 of the plug 34 engages against the flat side 19 of the fitting 14 to close the opening 26 in the exterior of the fitting 14. In order to insure a fluid tight seal between the plug 34 and the fitting 14, the plug 34 can be provided with an annular recess 40 in the annular shoulder 39 to receive an annular flexible seal ring 41 which will be disposed under compression between the plug 34 and the flat surface 19 of the fitting 14 to completely seal around the opening 26 outboard of the same. If desired, the enlarged part 38 of the plug 34 can define a polygon, such as a hexagonal configuration, to facilitate the threaded insertion and threaded removal thereof into and out of the opening 26 of the fitting 14.

Alternately. the fitting 14 could have an annular recess 42 formed in the flat side 19 thereof adjacent the opening 26 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 to receive a flexible seal ring 43 for sealing against the surface 39 of the plug 34 as desired.

Thus, when the manifold arrangement 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided with the seal plug 34, the fitting 14 does not impede the fuel flow therethrough in any adverse manner, but does permit the manifold arrangement 10 to sometime in the future be adapted to receive a self-contained pressure regulator construction 37 of this invention so as to control the pressure of the fuel passing therethrough.

In particular, reference is now made to FIG. 2 wherein the self-contained pressure regulator 37 comprises the housing means 36 so constructed that the same defines an enlarged part 44 adjacent the threaded portion 35 thereof having a flat lower surface or shoulder 45 for engaging against the flat side 19 of the manifold fitting 14 when the housing 36 is threadedly disposed therein in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. If desired, the enlarged part 44 of the housing 36 could have a polygon configuration, such as the hexagonal configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, to facilitate the threaded insertion and removal of the self-contained pressure regulator 37 into and out of the opening 26 of the fitting 14.

A substantially cylindrical portion 46 extends from the threaded portion 35 of the housing 36 and terminates at an outwardly directed annular flange 47 having a valve seat means 48 extending from the lower side 49 thereof. The flange 47 and valve seat means 48 can telescopically receive an annular sealing ring 50 which is disposed against the under side 49 of the flange 47 to be compressed by the flange 47 against the annular shoulder 27 of the manifold fitting 14 when the housing means 36 is fully threaded into the threaded opening 26 of the fitting 14 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Since the housing 36 has an opening 51 in the cylindrical portion 46 thereof intermediate the threaded portion 35 and the flange 47 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, such opening 51 intersects a stepped bore 52 passing through the housing 36 to the valve seat 48 thereof so that the entire fuel flow from the inlet part 25 of the passage means 26 must pass into the opening 51 of the housing 36 and out through the valve seat 48 thereof to the outlet opening 30 of the manifold 14 whereby the entire fuel flow through the fitting 14 of FIG. 2 is under the control of the pressure regulator 37. Because the cylindrical portion 46 of the housing 36 is inwardly disposed relative to the walls 26' and 31 of the fitting 14, the opening 51 of the housing 36 is always in fluid communication with the opening 25 regardless of the rotational position of the regulator 37 in the fitting 14.

While the housing means 36 of this invention can carry any suitable pressure regulator structure for controlling the pressure of the fuel passing through the fitting 14, the housing 36 carries pressure regulator structure of the type fully disclosed and claimed in US. Pat. Ser. No. 643,170 filed June 2, 1967, and US. Pat. Ser. No. 740,150, filed June 26, 1968, such copending applications being assigned to the same assignee to whom this application is assigned and do not form a part of this invention except in combination with the unique housing 36 of this invention for providing a selfcontained pressure regulator structure for insertion and removal from the manifold fitting 14 of this invention.

Therefore, only sufficient details of the pressure regulator structure carried by the housing 36 will now be described in order to fully understand the features of this invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the housing 36 carries a pair of flexible diaphragms 81 and 82 respectively having the outer peripheries 53 and 54 thereof held in annular grooves 55 and 56 of the housing means 36 by metallic retainers 57 and 58. A valve stem 59 has a portion 60 passing through an opening 61 in the flexible diaphragm 82 while being coupled thereto by a seal member 62, the part 60 being interconnected to the medial portion 63 of the flexible diaphragm 81 so as to move in unison therewith.

The valve stem 59 carries a valve member 64 at the lower end thereof provided with a flexible surface means 65 for cooperating with the valve seat 48 of the housing 36, the valve stem 59 having suitable guide fins 66 thereon for guiding movement of the valve stem 59 in the stepped bore 52 of the housing 36. The valve stem 59 is hollow so as to interconnect the lower part 29 of the passage means 24 on the outlet side of the fitting 14 to a chamber 67 defined between the flexible diaphragms 82 and 81.

The metallic retainer 57 substantially closes off the upper end of the stepped bore 52 in the housing 36 as illustrated in FIG. 2 and has a tubular portion 68 being internally threaded at 69 to receive a threaded adjusting member 70. A compression spring 71 is disposed between the adjusting member and the diaphragm 81 to tend to urge the diaphragm 81 and, thus, the

valve member 64 downwardly in a direction to open the valve seat 48.

In this manner, the setting of the adjusting member 70 and, thus, the force of the compression spring 71 will cause the self-contained pressure regulator 37 to maintain the pressure of the fuel passing through the fitting 14 from the fuel source 12 to the burner means 13 to be maintained at the pressure setting of the device 37 in the manner fully disclosed in the aforementioned copending patent applications.

In particular, the pressure of the fuel in the outlet portion 29 of the fitting 15 is conveyed to the chamber 67 between the diaphragms 81 and 82 to act against the under side of the diaphragm 81 in opposing the force of the compression spring 71 tending to move the diaphragm 81 downwardly. Thus, when the pressure in the outlet part 29 of the fitting 14 exceeds the pressure setting, the samemoves the diaphragm 81 upwardly in 0pposition to the force of the compression spring 71 so as to decrease the amount of opening of the valve seat 48 whereby the pressure in the outlet portion 29 of the fitting 14 drops accordingly. Conversely, should the pressure in the outlet 29 fall below the pressure 17 of the regulator 37, the force of the pressure in the chamber 67 has decreased so that the compression spring 71 moves the flexible diaphragm 81 downwardly to increase the amount of opening of the valve seat 48 so that the pressure in the outlet portion 29 of the fitting 14 can be increased Therefore, it can be seen that when the selfcontained pressure regulator 37 of this invention is disposed in the opening 26 of the fitting 14 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the manifold arrangement 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 will completely control the pressure of the fuel being directed to the burner means 13 from the fuel source 12.

Thus, not only does this invention provide an improved manifold arrangement, but also this invention provides improved parts for such a manifold arrangement or the like, such as an improved manifold fitting, an improved pressure regulator for such a manifold fitting and an improved housing for such a self-contained pressure regulator.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been described as required by the statute, other forms may be used all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A one-piece housing member for containing a pressure regulator and for being adapted to be inserted in and removed from an opening in a fuel conveying manifold means, said housing member having an inlet and an outlet adapted to respectively register with an inlet part and an outlet part of a passage means passing through said manifold means, said housing member having an externally threaded integral portion for threading into internal threads of said manifold means at the opening thereof, said housing member having annular integral shoulder means adjacent said threaded portion thereof for bearing against the outside of said manifold means when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an outwardly directed annular integral flange means for engaging against an internal shoulder means of said manifold means that faces said opening thereof when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an annular reduced portion intermediate said threaded portion and said annular flange means thereof and extending from said threaded portion to said annular flange means so that said threaded portion and said annular flange means extend outwardly from said reduced portion in the same direction and are parallel to each other, said annular reduced portion having said outlet therein, said housing member having an integral valve seat portion thereof extending beyond said annular flange means thereof and being adapted to project into said passage means on the other side of said internal shoulder means of said manifold means whereby said integral valve seat portion is adapted to be guided by said internal annular shoulder means of said manifold means and has the valve seat thereof adapted to be inwardly offset from said internal annular shoulder means of said manifold means and extending beyond the same.

2. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flange means of said housing member is disposed between said inlet and said outlet thereof.

3. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve seat portion has a conical section defining the valve seat thereof.

4. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shoulder means of said housing member has a polygonical configuration.

5. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 4 wherein said flange means of said housing member is circular.

6. A self-contained pressure regulator being adaptable to be inserted in and removed from an opening in a fuel conveying manifold means, said regulator comprising a one-piece housing member having an inlet and an outlet adapted to respectively register with an inlet part and an outlet part of a passage means passing through said manifold means, said housing member carrying valve means for controlling the degree of interconnection between .said inlet and outlet parts of said passage means in relation to the setting of said regulator, said housing member having an externally threaded integral portion for threading into internal threads of said manifold means at the opening thereof, said housing member having annular integral shoulder means adjacent said threaded portion thereof for bearing against the outside of said manifold means when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an outwardly directed annular integral flange means for engaging against an internal shoulder means of said manifold meansthat faces said opening thereof when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an annular reduced portion intermediate said threaded portion and said annular flange means thereof and extending from said threaded portion to said annular flange means so that said threaded portion and said annular flange means extend outwardly from said reduced portion in the same direction and are parallel to each other, said annular reduced portion having said outlet therein, said housing member having an integral valve seat portion thereof extending beyond said annular flange means thereof and being adapted to project into said passage means on the other side of said internal shoulder means of said manifold means whereby said integral valve seat portion is adapted to be guided by said internal annular shoulder means of said manifold means and has the section defining the valve seat thereof.

9. A self-contained pressure regulator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said shoulder means of said housing member has a polygonical configuration.

10. A self-contained pressure regulator set forth in claim 9 wherein said flange means of said housing member is circular. 

1. A one-piece housing member for containing a pressure regulator and for being adapted to be inserted in and removed from an opening in a fuel conveying manifold means, said housing member having an inlet and an outlet adapted to respectively register with an inlet part and an outlet part of a passage means passing through said manifold means, said housing member having an externally threaded integral portion for threading into internal threads of said manifold means at the opening thereof, said housing member having annular integral shoulder means adjacent said threaded portion thereof for bearing against the outside of said manifold means when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an outwardly directed annular integral flange means for engaging against an internal shoulder means of said manifold means that faces said opening thereof when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an annular reduced portion intermediate said threaded portion and said annular flange means thereof and extending from said threaded portion to said annular flange means so that said threaded portion and said annular flange means extend outwardly from said reduced portion in the same direction and are parallel to each other, said annular reduced portion having said outlet therein, said housing member having an integral valve seat portion thereof extending beyond said annular flange means thereof and being adapted to project into said passage means on the other side of said internal shoulder means of said manifold means whereby said integral valve seat portion is adapted to be guided by said internal annular shoulder means of said manifold means and has the valve seat thereof adapted to be inwardly offset from said internal annular shoulder means of said manifold means and extending beyond the same.
 2. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flange means of said housing member is disposed between said inlet and said outlet thereof.
 3. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve seat portion has a conical section defining the valve seat thereof.
 4. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shoulder means of said housing member has a polygonical configuration.
 5. A one-piece housing member as set forth in claim 4 wherein said flange means of said housing member is circular.
 6. A self-contained pressure regulator being adaptable to be inserted in and removed from an opening in a fuel conveying manifold means, said regulator comprising a one-piece housIng member having an inlet and an outlet adapted to respectively register with an inlet part and an outlet part of a passage means passing through said manifold means, said housing member carrying valve means for controlling the degree of interconnection between said inlet and outlet parts of said passage means in relation to the setting of said regulator, said housing member having an externally threaded integral portion for threading into internal threads of said manifold means at the opening thereof, said housing member having annular integral shoulder means adjacent said threaded portion thereof for bearing against the outside of said manifold means when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an outwardly directed annular integral flange means for engaging against an internal shoulder means of said manifold means that faces said opening thereof when said housing member is fully inserted into said opening thereof, said housing member having an annular reduced portion intermediate said threaded portion and said annular flange means thereof and extending from said threaded portion to said annular flange means so that said threaded portion and said annular flange means extend outwardly from said reduced portion in the same direction and are parallel to each other, said annular reduced portion having said outlet therein, said housing member having an integral valve seat portion thereof extending beyond said annular flange means thereof and being adapted to project into said passage means on the other side of said internal shoulder means of said manifold means whereby said integral valve seat portion is adapted to be guided by said internal annular shoulder means of said manifold means and has the valve seat thereof adapted to be inwardly offset from said internal annular shoulder means of said manifold means and extending beyond the same.
 7. A self-contained pressure regulator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said flange means of said housing member is disposed between said inlet and said outlet thereof.
 8. A self-contained pressure regulator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said valve seat portion has a conical section defining the valve seat thereof.
 9. A self-contained pressure regulator as set forth in claim 6 wherein said shoulder means of said housing member has a polygonical configuration.
 10. A self-contained pressure regulator as set forth in claim 9 wherein said flange means of said housing member is circular. 